A foaming swell crested and broke, pitching Josh’s boat and sending him sliding across the deck. Angry water rushed at him, and his hip hit hard against the metal. Thank God, he still had on the harness, otherwise the assault would’ve sent him overboard. Maybe he should’ve taken up bull riding. It might’ve been safer.
The salty spray burned his eyes, and he squeezed them shut. A vision materialized in his mind, a beautiful picture of J.D. and Maggie waiting at home. She’d said she still loved him, but... He wanted more than anything to get back to continue that conversation. His grip tightened as another wave crashed over the deck. “Help me do this, Lord.”
At the mercy of violent seas, he’d fail, but at the mercy of a good God, he had a chance to get himself and a few thousand vacationers through rough water and to safety.
He needed to concentrate. Josh looked up at the ladder attached to the cruise ship, tried to get a feel for the rhythm of the churning water, and then unhitched the harness. The boat pitched upward, and he flung himself toward the closest rung. A roller dipped them down into the swell, and his grip faltered. His hands scrambled to catch hold of anything solid.
Another breaker swept over him, and he plunged into the Gulf.
Chapter 26
THE WATER-ACTIVATED strobe light from Josh’s vest flashed as he lifted, then immediately plummeted with the large swells. Everything else a blur, he tried to focus despite the frigid water chilling every inch of his skin. He needed to get his breathing under control. The crew should’ve dropped a life ring by now with a strobe of its own, and he had to find it before he was swept out to sea.
Swiveling, he scanned the undulating surface for his boat. He had to stay calm. The crew knew what to do. Salty water sprayed into his face, filled his mouth. A smell that reminded him of both home and fear—fear of being lost to the massive depths of the Gulf. Fear of leaving his son fatherless. Fear of never seeing J.D. or Maggie again.
He had to keep his head. He couldn’t let the fear swamp him.
Help me, Lord.
The waves lifted him again, and he spotted his boat. Though a chill bit into his legs, he kicked hard toward it. He added vigorous strokes with his arms, fighting the currents. It seemed like the crash of the waves around him propelled him backward with every stroke. Still, he couldn’t give up.
Fighting for breath, he peered up and spotted the glow of lights. One good thing about the cruise ship being disabled was that it wouldn’t be making much headway either. Easier to try to stay close to...if that were even possible in this weather. The crash of the water filled his ears, making it difficult to hear if someone was yelling directions, but he shouted and waved both of his arms. “Here! I’m here!”
The pilot boat turned toward him and circled. They saw him, thank God. Now if they could get him aboard without crushing him against the hull by the wind and waves. “Lord, if you’re willing, save me.”
He stayed put as the vessel attempted to come alongside. One of the men stood on the port side and threw a blinking life preserver. Josh tried to catch it. He missed. He swam hard toward the flashing red strobe, the beacon that might be his only chance out of this predicament. The waves pressed against him. Time after time, he neared the blasted thing, but each time he was swept back before he could catch hold.
Come on.
He pushed himself to swim harder until finally, his cold, wet fingers caught hold of something solid. The needle in this haystack of water.
Thank you, God.
Josh pulled the ring over himself and tugged the line to let them know he was ready. The rope quickly yanked him close to the boat, and he prepared himself for possible impact as they tried to reel him up. The seas still churned, but maybe not as high. He thudded against the hull on the same hip that had hit the railing earlier. He groaned and grabbed toward the arms and hands reaching out to him. His body clipped the railing and then landed with a thud on the deck. Coughing, he laid his head back as the crew checked him for broken bones or other injuries.
Was he injured? He was so chilled, he couldn’t tell.
He lifted each limb one at a time. All felt fine except for his bruised hip. “I’m good. Let me transfer to the other ship and get us out of here.”
The crew argued to abort the mission, but he was determined, and the water seemed to be calming. He looked toward the clearing skies. Someone upstairs was answering prayers. “I can do this. Believe me, I won’t slip this time.” Despite the fact that his fingers were numb.
They lined up once again beside the cruise ship, and he caught the rung. Metal never felt so good in his hands. His legs seemed to have doubled in weight, but he forced them up, step by step, until he boarded the ship. Wide-eyed crewmen met him. Josh motioned. “Take me to the bridge, and let’s get out of here.”
WAKING IN JOSH’S BED might’ve been a long-denied dream of hers, but not the way it had happened so far on this trip. Those days when she’d been sick had been awful, but nothing like now, waiting while Josh ran off to save the world.
Maggie rolled over and turned off her alarm. She wouldn’t need it. She hadn’t slept much. As she’d done all night, she prayed again for Josh’s safety before pushing her feet to the floor. At the closed master bathroom door, she stared at the out-of-order sign Josh had taped there. So weird. It wasn’t as if J.D. could read. Was it a big mess in there, or should she call a plumber for him?
She’d figure that out later. Craving that black liquid that kept her going, she padded down the hall to start a pot of coffee. At J.D.’s room, she peeked in to check on him. The sweet angel still slept with the peace of the innocent. Thank the Lord. He hadn’t even woken to climb in bed with her. Her emotions were in no shape to explain where his daddy had hauled off to, like there weren’t enough able-bodied men to work the rescue.
Her aunt’s words came back to her. “Your faith can’t keep tossing and turning in the wind. Sooner or later, you must decide, ‘Though He slay me, still I will trust Him.’”
The thought hit her like a chunk of ice down her back. What had happened to her faith?
Had it sunk in the Gulf with her father? Had it been swallowed into the waters with their home?
She had still believed in God, but she hadn’t understood Him. She hadn’t trusted Him.
Why pray, if the prayers weren’t answered? Why had He let her father die?
Take heart.
Her mother’s words again. She found the filters, scooped coffee, and started the brew. “I’m trying to take heart, Lord. Trying to believe. Really.” She spoke to the ceiling. She would try to cling to the fact that God was with her in the storm, not base her faith on whether her prayers were answered in the ways she thought they should be. After all, Aunt Ruth was right, faith was believing no matter what the circumstance.
“Though He slay me,” she whispered.
“Miss Maggie?” A hand tugged on her T-shirt. “Who are you talking to?”
“Oh, J.D., I didn’t hear you come in. Give me a hug, pumpkin.” She lifted him up and closed her eyes, clinging to his warmth. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, but you hug hard.”
Maggie couldn’t help but laugh. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to suffocate you.”
“Can we go eat captain cereal at Cammie’s or have special pancakes?”
Maggie set him on his feet and shook her head. “I was thinking we should go back to having eggs like Daddy makes.” Now that he was her responsibility, she’d study up on the best nutrition for kids. She was pretty sure protein for breakfast was a good idea.
“Okay.” Not a super happy answer, but he hadn’t put up a fuss. He made his way to the table and climbed into the booster. “I want them with orange cheese on top.”
“Orange cheese, please?” If she was going to be taking care of him, she’d have to follow the manners protocol Josh was teaching him, too.
“Orange cheese, pleeeease.” He smiled and drew out the word adorably.
Smiling, too, Maggie found a skillet and gat
hered the rest of the ingredients from the refrigerator. J.D. hadn’t even asked where his father was. He must’ve been so accustomed to waking up with Josh gone. At least she wouldn’t have to explain the sudden departure. But was it something she could get accustomed to?
Once they’d eaten and she’d dressed her little buddy, she carried him next door. The lights were still off, so she flipped the switch. Dahlia and Aunt Ruth must be still sleeping.
Maggie tweaked J.D’s nose. “Can you look at a book while I get changed?” She didn’t want to get him started watching too much television. Besides, she didn’t know enough about children’s shows to discern what was age-appropriate.
“What kind of book?”
Good question. She scanned the room for something to entertain a three-year-old. A shelf in the corner held old photo albums. “How about some picture books?” They had to be old since hardly anyone bothered to print their pictures anymore. And photos were the one thing her mother had been careful to take whenever they’d had to evacuate.
She stacked a pile of books on the floor. “See if you recognize anyone you know until I come back.”
“Okay.” He plopped down beside the mound of photo albums. “If I do, can I get a prize?”
“What’s with you and prizes?”
“I like them.”
Simple enough. “What kind of prize?”
His mouth twisted as he thought. “A sticker or coloring book. Or candy?”
“I think a sticker or coloring book would be fair.” And it might keep him busy for a minute. “I’ll try to pick one up later today.”
The ring of her phone in her shorts pocket made her shoulders jerk. Let it be Josh on his way home.
She stared at the number. Angie? It was so early. A jolt of fear struck hard. Why would she be calling at the crack of dawn? Was something wrong with Cammie again? “Hello.”
“Hey.”
“Is everything okay? With Cammie? With Josh?”
“As far as I know. Graham was called out with Josh last night. I thought I’d snag J.D. before you get going with your day. He could come play with Conrad. Figured you wouldn’t mind. Did you sleep?”
“Not really. How do you live like this? Your husband always in harm’s way?”
“With my job as a nurse, I see plenty of sickness and accidents. Most aren’t water-related. It’s just part of life. It is what it is.”
How could she see life and death as so cut and dried? “I’m sure J.D. would love to play with your son. Thanks.”
“No worries. You’ve got a lot on your plate. I was excited to hear about Cammie’s improvement. She said she’d be moving off the ICU floor into a regular room early this morning. That’s wonderful.”
So soon? “We are thankful.” Maggie nodded, though no one could see her. She had to be more faithful in remembering to thank the Lord for every good thing. She’d been so caught up in the bad, she’d ignored the blessings around her, like Cammie’s improvement. Like her aunt’s love, and Dahlia staying well, and sweet little J.D.’s presence.
“Looks like our patient’s got an admirer, too.” Angie’s smile could be felt through the phone.
A nurse was the perfect person to get the scoop. Not that Maggie hadn’t been checking out Kyle Castro’s background already, but nurses knew the lowdown on doctors personal lives sometimes, too. “Yeah. I’d like to have a discussion about that.”
Once she’d thoroughly grilled Angie—Dr. Castro’s story seemed to check out—Maggie dressed in slacks and a button-down blouse, then went back to check on J.D.
Her eyes widened at the scene. Pictures littered the living room floor, and the plastic of many of the albums’ pages were crumpled. Aunt Ruth and Cammie would kill her.
“J.D., let’s put the pictures back in. They have to stay in the books to keep them nice.” Another note-to-self about three-year-olds and supervision.
“But here’s you and Daddy.” He held up a photograph. “Is this your wedding?”
Maggie gulped and struggled to take a breath. “No. That’s at the prom.” What had she been thinking? A wave of memories assaulted her, clutched at her throat. The feel of Josh’s arms around her, his goodnight kisses. That night had held so much promise for their future...all swept away a few months later.
“What’s a prom?” His big blue eyes stared at her. So much like Josh’s.
“It’s a dance.”
“But you’re not dancing in this picture.”
She couldn’t look at that blasted photo a second longer. She bent down to stack the jumble on the floor. “We had to stop dancing to pose for the camera, pumpkin. Let’s clean up.” Hiding the mess in a closet and sorting through it later sounded like a better plan. Much later.
After Angie picked up J.D., Maggie dropped Aunt Ruth and Dahlia at the store. Mrs. Daigle had been waiting for them there. Another cause for praise. Maggie got things rolling, then set out to the hospital. A text from Dr. Castro gave her the new room number. He’d said Cammie was thrilled with the early morning move.
Inside the hospital, she followed the signs to the new ward. When she neared the open door, a giggle echoed from within, followed by her sister’s voice. “Don’t make me laugh, Kyle. It hurts.”
“That’s good. Means you’re healing.” Dr. Castro—Kyle—sat in a chair next to Cammie’s bed. From the looks of the smile on her sister’s face, the battle for her heart was good and won. The roses, gourmet coffee, and pastries from Cammie’s favorite bakery had probably sealed the deal.
Maggie chuckled. The good doctor was...well, good. And by all accounts, a decent man. She knocked to get their attention. “Sorry to intrude. Y’all are sure chipper this morning.”
“Come on in. We have good news.” Dr. Castro stood and offered her his chair.
“No need. I’ll take the other one.” Maggie crossed the room to the sort-of recliner near the window. “What’s the good news?” She sure relished the possibility.
“I’m moving to a rehab facility to start getting my strength back.”
“When?” This was better than good news. It was a miracle.
“The day after tomorrow. I might even get a pass to come home for Christmas day if all goes well.”
“Thank you, Lord.” Now if He’d bring Josh home safe.
THE BELL ON THE DOOR jingled again as Maggie checked out another customer. With the break in the rain before lunchtime, shoppers must’ve sprinted out of their houses and offices to start buying gifts this morning. All at once. Good thing Mrs. Daigle was at her side to help.
Maggie glanced up at the person heading straight toward the counter. “Angie?” Her fingers froze on the keys, and she craned her neck to search for J.D. “Why are you here without the kids?” Panic sucked the oxygen from her lungs, but she forced out words. “Did something happen to J.D?”
“J.D.’s fine. My mother is watching both boys at the house. Can we talk in back or someplace?”
It had only been a few hours since Angie had picked him up. “You could’ve brought him here if you needed to shop.”
“Maggie, I need to talk to you—”
“Oh, please, no.” Fear seemed to drain the blood from Maggie’s face. “It’s Josh, isn’t it?” Tears blurred her vision, but she staggered away from the register. “Mrs. Daigle, can you take over the front?”
“Of course, dear.” Her warm hand patted Maggie’s elbow. “Take as long as you need.”
Moisture gathered on Maggie’s upper lip, and she pinched the bridge of her nose on the way to the back room. “Tell me, Angie.” She dropped her hand and spun to face the bad news head on. “Is he dead?”
Angie grabbed Maggie’s forearms and squeezed. “No, no. He’s not dead. Sorry, I scared you. Graham called and said Josh is being observed in a Louisiana hospital overnight.”
“For what?”
“Mild hypothermia and a couple of pretty bad bruises is all they’ve confirmed so far.” Angie released her grip and took a step back. “Graham is ther
e, but if you want to go to him, I’m here to help at the store. And my mom can keep J.D.”
“Hypothermia?” A picture rolled through Maggie’s mind of Josh being swept into the Gulf. Her nightmare had come true. “How did he...?” Realization swarmed her senses, lighting a fire in her gut. “He fell in, didn’t he? Just like my father.”
“Not just like your father.” Angie gave a vigorous shake of her head. “Josh was rescued. He completed the mission and brought the cruise ship safely into port. He’ll be fine, Maggie.”
“This time.” But what about the next? “I’m not leaving the store. Or Cammie and the kids. Josh knew the risks when he decided to leave. I promised to care for J.D. You can bring him here if you want to go visit Josh.” Her fingers curled into a fist. She’d give Josh Bergeron a piece of her mind for scaring her like this when he got home. He’d better come home. Then she pictured him in a hospital bed and her heart pinched. “You said he’s going to be fine, right?”
One side of Angie’s mouth lifted. “You should go see for yourself. He’s less than two hours away.”
The woman was pushy.
“The store is busy. J.D., Dahlia, and Aunt Ruth need me. Cammie needs me, and I’m heading back to check on her again as soon as this rush of shoppers clears out. I’m not going to Louisiana. Really.” Maggie pivoted and stepped back into the showroom. “Like you said, I have too much on my plate.” Her feet led her back behind the checkout counter, but doubt followed her. Harassed her, really, churning her insides and her thoughts into one large vortex. The truth was, one way or another, Josh Bergeron would rip her heart out.
Chapter 27
THERE WERE TOO MANY voices in Cammie’s hospital room. Something was up. Maggie hesitated at the cracked door. The aroma of food spilled from a passing lunch cart.
Dahlia shuffled at her side. “Are we going in or what?”
“Sure. I think I heard visitors.” Inside, Angie and Dr. Kyle Castro and his daughter stood beside Cammie, who had devoured whatever was on her lunch tray already. “Angie, I keep running into you today.”
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